Friday, April 18, 2003

Never Too Much 04.18.03

Soul crooner Luther Vandross suffered a stroke:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - R&B singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, who has battled weight and health problems for years, has suffered a stroke just days before his 52nd birthday, his record label said on Thursday.

Vandross, a five-time Grammy winner who launched a successful comeback two years ago, was undergoing medical treatment after being stricken on Wednesday, J Records said in a statement.

"Vandross is under medical care, and his family and friends are hopeful for a speedy recovery," Carmen Romano, the entertainer's business manager, said in the statement.

His whereabouts were not disclosed, and officials at New York-based J Records were not immediately available for comment.

Famed for his silky, soulful crooning as well as for his songwriting and production prowess, Vandross turns 52 on Sunday. Since launching his solo career in 1981 after a successful stint as a back-up vocalist for the likes of David Bowie and Bette Midler, he has sold more than 20 million records worldwide.

"There are vocalists, and then there's Luther," Motown singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson told Rolling Stone magazine in 1990. "Luther's in a class by himself."